Youth Speaks 2013 (29 January 2013)

Youth Speaks 2013

The Guernsey round of the Youth Speaks competition was held at St James on Tuesday 29th January 2013. The competition in Guernsey is sponsored by the law firm Mourant Ozannes.

There are two competitions run simultaneously; an intermediate competition for students aged 14 - 16 years and a senior competition for those aged 16 and 17 years.

The winners of the intermediate competition were the team from Elizabeth College. The team members were Adil Anees, Jack Colley and Michael Firth.

The senior competition was won by The Grammar School and Sixth Form Centre represented by Helena de Carteret, Douglas Craig and Jordan Linton.

Youth Speaks is a national competition run by Rotary Clubs throughout the British Isles and the overall winner of the Guernsey Competition goes forward to the District Final to be held at Stockbridge, Hampshire on Saturday 2nd March 2013.

The overall winners from Guernsey, selected by the adjudicators, are the senior team from The Grammar School and Sixth Form Centre.

The three participants in each team take on the role of Chairman, Speaker and a Proposer of a vote of thanks. The subject of their presentation is of their own choosing and their contributions are constrained by time limits of 2 minutes, 6 minutes and 2 minutes respectively. There are penalties for under-running as well as over-running.

The winners of both the intermediate and senior competitions are each awarded a Raymond Falla Memorial Trophy named in honour of the late Raymond Falla OBE.

Mourant Ozannes also award trophies to best of the participants who are not members of the two winning teams. For 2013 these are:

Best Chairman - Isobel Sanders from Blancheland College

Best Speaker - Victoria Perrio from Blancheland College

Best Proposer of a Vote of Thanks - Oliver Thompson from Elizabeth College senior team.

The adjudicators for the competition were Rev'd Graeme Beebee (Chairman), Advocate Jessica Rowland and Colonel Richard Graham. Graeme Beebee said that the standard this year had been very high. "We have been treated once again to some really talented people and it has been a joy to sit and listen."

Steve Oliphant, leading the organising team for Rotary Club of Guernsey, commented, "This is the 21st year since the Rotary Club of Guernsey re-instated the Youth Speaks competition. In that time hundreds of young people have gained experience in public speaking. We have all been impressed by the quality of presentations this evening and how each team has dealt with its chosen topic". Titles ranged from "Phobias" to "Paradigm or Paradox" and "Dead Funny" to "To the Batcave".

The presentations of trophies were made by Advocate Robert Shepherd, Managing Partner of Mourant Ozannes in Guernsey. Not only have Mourant Ozannes sponsored this event in Guernsey but they have also kindly agreed to support the winners at the District Final and indeed to continue to support them through to the Regional and National finals should they progress further. This is very generous sponsorship.

Robert Shepherd remarked "Mourant Ozannes offer our congratulations to the overall winning team from the Grammar School and Sixth Form Centre. I'm sure they will go on to do Guernsey proud in the district finals and, hopefully, beyond. The standard this year has been exceptional and it is fantastic to see so many talented individuals competing in this competition. Well done to them all."